Frank Wiley Field’s service is restored

Frank Wiley Field is back to fueling planes after just a few days of losing the service due to having no employees.

Thursday night Custer County Commissioner Vicki Hamilton said Sam Brownfield was talked into returning as airport director and will stay to fuel planes and handle other duties until the new city manager begins.

He began working again Thursday morning.

Some pilots can refuel on their own planes while others, like the lifeflight helicopter from Billings and firefighting aircrafts, do not.

Brownfield had just completed a nine-week stint as the interim city manager. It was at that time he felt he could no longer continue.

Meanwhile the hiring committee has reviewed all the applications and expect to have a new manager in place soon, Hamilton said.

Hamilton credits Brownfield’s father, Keith (head of the Miles City Airport Commission), and commission alternate member Doug Phair for getting Brownfield to return.

Hamilton said the commission is “tickled to death” to have someone in place.

“I’m so excited he was talked into coming back,” she said.

Because of the short time of not having anyone in place at the airport, the commission surrendered the airport’s 139 Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration Tuesday afternoon.

The commission will work to get the certificate reinstated, meaning the airport meets the FAA safety and operational requirements, including having an airport manager.